System and method for laying floor coverings

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a system and a method for laying floor coverings, in particular wall-to-wall carpet, on floors, in particular stairs, whereby the system has a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and an adhesive mass, whereby the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a carrier layer that is coated with an adhesive coating on a top surface that faces the floor covering and on a bottom surface that faces the floor or the stair. The adhesive mass can be applied at least partially for gluing a backing of the floor covering, in particular in areas with particular shear and/or peel stresses on the floor covering.

The present invention relates to a system and a method for laying floor coverings, in particular wall-to-wall carpet, on floors, in particular stairs.

In general today floor coverings, e.g. wall-to-wall carpets, PVC floor coverings, or the like, are as a rule fixed in highly stressed areas using liquid contact adhesives that contain solvents. For instance, this is true of the area of stairs, whereby when a floor covering is being laid contact adhesive is applied both to the stairs as the base and to the backing of the floor covering itself, and whereby a secure bond is achieved when these two adhesive-coated parts are brought together.

This known procedure is complex, and the liquid contact adhesives generally contain solvents that should be avoided because they can be hazardous to health and because under certain circumstances they can even pose a risk of explosion. However, one advantage of this existing technique is that immediately after application, a floor covering adheres securely without any waiting period and without further setting of the contact adhesive and in particular can even be used immediately in the step area of stairs. It is thus possible to avoid blocking off staircases for extended periods, which would otherwise have to be done for instance during renovation work. In addition, during installation an installer can immediately step on the stairs to which a floor covering has just been glued.

For some time there has also been the option of gluing floor coverings, in particular carpets, to floors, and therefore also to stairs, using double-sided carpet-laying tape or double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. For instance, known from European patent no. 11 17 746 is a pressure-sensitive adhesive film for laying a floor covering on a floor, which film has on both sides a carrier layer made of plastic film, an adhesive coating with a different adhesive strength on the top side and on the bottom side, whereby this pressure-sensitive adhesive film is embodied with a minimum width of 350 mm for covering large surfaces of the floor to be covered with the floor covering. Gluing a floor covering with such a pressure-sensitive adhesive film has the advantage that adhesive force builds immediately and such a pressure-sensitive adhesive film can be removed from the base leaving no residual matter. However, over the long term under certain unusual traffic conditions it can be possible that the adhesive force of such a pressure-sensitive film relative to the floor covering is not as high as can be the case with the liquid contact adhesive described in the foregoing because the adhesive coating of such a pressure-sensitive adhesive film, in contrast to the contact adhesives described in the foregoing, cannot flow into the carpet backing in order create a permanent and particularly secure bond to all commercially available backings of floor coverings. Thus, at particularly highly stressed locations that can be subject to elevated shear and tensile strain, over the course of time, in particular in the area of the riser (vertical part of a stair) and on the step edge of stairs, a floor covering affixed in this manner can detach or bulge at these locations. Since these pressure-sensitive films adhere particularly well to smooth backings of floor coverings, this problem can be even worse on woven or textile carpet backings, which are the great majority.

It is therefore one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide a system and a method for laying floor coverings, in particular wall-to-wall carpeting, to floors, in particular to stairs, which system provides lasting and secure anchoring of a floor covering to a floor in particularly highly stressed areas, for instance stairs, with relatively simple and environmentally friendly handling.

This object is inventively achieved using a system for laying floor coverings in accordance with claim 1 and using a method for laying floor coverings in accordance with claim 25.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in each of the subordinate claims.

The inventive system for laying floor coverings, in particular wall-to-wall carpeting, on floors, in particular on stairs, has a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and an additional adhesive mass. In accordance with the invention, the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the system has a carrier layer that is coated with an adhesive coating on a top surface that faces the floor covering and on a bottom surface that faces the floor or the stair. The adhesive mass of the inventive system can be applied at least partially for gluing a backing of the floor covering, in particular in areas with particular shear and/or peel stresses. That is, the adhesive mass can be applied either to the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, to the backing of the floor covering, or directly to the floor.

The inventive system makes possible secure and lasting anchoring of the floor covering to be laid to the floor, because in accordance with the invention the floor covering is held securely by the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape itself—and also in shape—and because at least partially even stronger fixation of the floor covering results due to the additionally applied adhesive mass. Thus, in the area of the stairs the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape prevents the floor covering to be fixed from displacing towards the stair nose, whereby the additionally applied adhesive mass can bond particularly securely to the backing of the floor covering and when required hardens in a particularly secure adhesive manner. Preferably the adhesive mass is applied as a “mass” above and below the stair nose, since that is where the aforesaid shear and/or peel stresses are particularly strong.

Preferred is one embodiment of the inventive system in which the adhesive mass can be applied to the top surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or to the floor covering backing between the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and the backing of the floor covering. Thus when required it is possible that the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, which adheres particularly well to the floor but can also be detached therefrom, prevents the additional adhesive mass from coming into direct contact with the floor, which means that, despite secure adhesion that is assured by bonding the backing of the floor covering to the top surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, the entire system can be detached leaving almost no residual matter, which can be particularly important for instance when used in rental apartments, on high-use floors, or in large exhibition halls. The ease of handling for the entire system is thus inventively further improved.

Preferred is one embodiment of the inventive system in which the adhesive mass is present in a paste, liquid, or hot-melt form. This provides simple handling and the adhesive mass of the inventive system can still provide a good, simple, and lasting bond to the backing of the floor covering because it can penetrate into the backing of the floor covering so very easily.

In this context, it is particularly preferred for the adhesive mass of the inventive system to have optimized adhesive properties with regard to the backing of the floor covering, that is, for the properties of the adhesive mass to be optimized for the properties of the floor covering.

Preferred is one embodiment of the inventive system in which the adhesive mass is an adhesive mass on a dispersion basis or a reactive system. The adhesive mass is preferably from the group of epoxy resin adhesives, in particular 1 K or 2 K systems, polyurethane adhesives, in particular 1 K and 2 K systems, acrylate or metacrylic adhesives, in particular 1 K systems, MS or MSP polymers, hot-melt, in particular reactive hot-melt, preferably with a PU or EVA base. Particularly preferred are humidity-setting 1 K reactive systems or thermosetting, thermoactivated 1 K systems. Appropriate adhesives provide particularly lasting and secure anchoring of the floor covering to be fixed.

In order to further improve the inventive system, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention the adhesive mass can be present in a cartridge, a tube, or a bag, and can be processed using a glue gun that is suitable for receiving the cartridge, the tube, or the bag. The adhesive mass can also be present in a bottle, a can, or a pressure tank from which the adhesive mass can be removed. The adhesive mass can also be present as a bar of adhesive that is not contained in a covering and that can then preferably be processed using an appropriate hot glue gun.

Depending on the floor covering to be glued, in accordance with one preferred embodiment the carrier layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system can comprise a fiber fabric, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, or plastic film. The non-woven fabric can particularly preferably be a synthetic non-woven fabric or a non-woven fabric made of viscose, cotton; or spun rayon. The plastic film can particularly preferably comprise polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyolefin (PO), polyester (PET), or polyamide (PA).

In particular, when the carrier layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system comprises plastic film, the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the system can have at least one additional textile structure on its top surface for further improving the stability of said tape. This additional textile structure can in particular increase the dimensional stability of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system in a possibly desired detaching procedure and thus improve the handling of the system in that detachability leaving almost no residual matter can be further improved or facilitated.

In order to further improve the processability of the inventive system, in accordance with one preferred embodiment it is possible for the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape to have a removable protective film on at least its top surface. In this manner the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape that has already been laid out and glued at its lower surface can still permit the floor covering to be placed thereupon, loose first for orientation and/or cutting, whereby the actual gluing does not take place until after such orientation/cutting has been performed, the protective film has been folded back and removed by section, the additional adhesive mass has been applied, and the floor covering to be fixed is then pressed thereupon.

Particularly preferred is an embodiment of the inventive system in which the removable protective film is embodied at least on the top surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape in an anti-slip manner. In this way a person using the inventive system can safely step on the protective film, that has not yet been removed, of the inventive pressure-sensitive adhesive tape that has already been laid on the floor, which further improves occupational safety and thus also handling of the system in accordance with the invention. This applies in particular in connection with employment when laying floor coverings on stairs, where otherwise the risk of injury because of slipping is particularly high. The anti-slip design can preferably comprise nubs, depressions, grooves, or perforation with perforation apertures. One particularly preferred embodiment with perforation is described further below.

Furthermore preferred is an embodiment of the inventive system in which the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a width in the range from 100 mm to 2000 mm, in particular in a range from 140 mm to 1500 mm, and in particular in a range from 170 mm to 300 mm, whereby the width when employed for stairs is in particular 230 mm and when employed on floors is at least 350 mm. Thus preferably large surface or even complete surface gluing and covering of the floor to be provided with the floor covering is possible, whereby in the case of stairs the 230 mm coincides exactly to the conventional stair height. The processability of the inventive system is thus particularly improved and therefore simplified, whereby the stability of the fixing of the floor covering is improved by complete surface or large surface application of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system in accordance with this preferred embodiment because of the enlarged adhesive surface. Even strip-wise and/or sectional design and application of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system is preferably possible and can for instance be particularly desired and advantageous in constrained physical circumstances.

The improvement to the inventive adhesiveness can even be increased in that the additional adhesive mass is applied over a large surface or even over the complete surface for gluing the floor covering.

In accordance with the invention, the carrier layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the system in accordance with one preferred embodiment preferably has a thickness in a range from 10 to 200 μm, preferably in a range from 25 to 150 μm, and especially preferably in a range from 50 to 120 μm.

In order to be able to adjust the adhesive forces advantageously, and in order to provide good adhesive force while simultaneously further improving the handling of the inventive system with a removal option that leaves almost no residual matter, the bottom surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape can have an adhesive coating with lower adhesive strength than the adhesive strength of the adhesive coating on the top surface. In particular in the case of large surface gluing and application of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape in accordance with the inventive system, this still attains reliable adhesion over time.

Different adhesive application weights are provided on the two surfaces of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape for attaining the different adhesive strengths, whereby the surface with the greater adhesive strength has a higher adhesive application weight.

Thus the adhesive application weight can preferably be in the range from 5 to 250 g/m², at least on the top surface and particularly preferably in the range from 8 to 200 g/m², at least on the lower surface, especially particularly preferably from 10 to 150 g/m².

In addition, preferably at least the adhesive coating on the top surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system can comprise softener-resistant adhesive. The adhesive coating of the top and bottom surfaces of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system particularly preferably comprises softener-resistant adhesive.

Also preferred is one embodiment in which the adhesive coating of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system comprises hot-melt adhesive or, particularly preferred, acrylate adhesive. Thus especially when interacting with the inventive adhesive mass, particularly secure anchoring of the floor covering to be laid can be especially assured over an extended period in accordance with the invention.

Furthermore preferred is one embodiment of the inventive system in which the adhesive coating of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprises different adhesives on the top and on the bottom surfaces. Thus appropriate adjustment results in a particularly secure and lasting anchoring of the floor covering to be fixed. In particular it can be taken into account that an additional synergy effect occurs between the adhesive coating of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape on the top side and the additional adhesive mass such that the resultant adhesion to the backing of the floor covering to be fixed is particularly strong and lasting.

Preferably the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape without additional adhesive mass of the system has an adhesive force (measured as peel force in accordance with DIN 1939) at least on the bottom surface on the order of magnitude of 1 to 50 N/25 mm, in particular from 3 to 40 N/25 mm, and in particular from 5 to 30 N/25 mm.

In order to minimize or avoid deterioration in the adhesive force and the fixing effect of the inventive system, which can occur due to the effects of moisture if for instance a floor covering is to laid on a flooring plaster (Keene's cement) floor that has some residual moisture, for instance, the carrier layer and the adhesive coating of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system is preferably water vapor permeable with an sd value in the range from 0.2 μm to 30 μm, preferably in a range from 0.5 μm to 10 μm.

This water vapor permeability can also preferably be attained in that the carrier surface and/or the adhesive coating of at least one of the surfaces of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system is perforated with perforation apertures that are distributed across the entire surface and spaced from one another preferably at a distance of less than 10 cm and that have a cross-sectional surface of less than 4 mm². The corresponding perforation apertures in the carrier layer and adhesive coating of at least one of the surfaces are preferably arranged in alignment.

The preferred anti-slip design of the removable protective film of at least the top surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system as described in the foregoing can particularly preferably be embodied by the perforation described in the foregoing, whereby the aligned arrangement of the perforation apertures in the carrier layer and the adhesive coating affects at least one of the surfaces preferably also the arrangement of the perforation apertures of the perforation of the removable protective film.

In order to further improve processability, in accordance with one preferred embodiment the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the inventive system is rolled into a roll and processable by unrolling.

In the inventive method for laying floor coverings, in particular wall-to-wall carpet, on floors, in particular stairs, a system is provided, in particular a system in accordance with the type described in the foregoing, whereby the system has a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and an adhesive mass, and whereby the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a carrier layer that is coated with an adhesive coating on a top surface that faces the floor covering and on a bottom surface that faces the floor or the stair. In the inventive method, the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is applied to the floor, preferably over a large surface or the complete surface, or even by section. The adhesive mass is at least partially applied, in particular in areas with particularly high shear and/or tensile strain, and the backing of the floor covering is glued to the corresponding system. Using the inventive method, the adhesiveness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is combined with the lasting and secure anchoring from the additional adhesive mass, which results in simple handling. In addition, the floor covering is already held in shape and position by the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape during the setting time for the adhesive mass. The adhesive mass, which then has set and later has dried, supports the secure gluing of the floor covering over the further period of use. Thus, at first the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape can be a type of installation aid, ensuring that it is possible to walk on the floor covering immediately after it is laid without disturbing its shape or position. Then the additional adhesive mass can also ensure improved long-term stability, even under high stress. In addition to the described combined effect (immediate fixation and long-lasting adhesive force), the inventive use of both a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and an adhesive mass offers detachability from the floor, and this detachability also leaves almost no residual matter. When using an adhesive mass alone, as is the practice in the prior art, none can be detached from the floor leaving almost no residual matter.

In order to further improve the handling of the inventive method, in particular in order to provide detachability with almost no residual matter, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the method the adhesive mass is applied to the top surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape on the adhesive coating there or to the floor covering backing and the backing of the floor covering is glued to the corresponding system.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the inventive method, the floor can preferably be covered with the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape over a large surface or over the complete surface.

The adhesive mass can also be applied to an entire surface, preferably the entire surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. This results in inventively preferred anchoring over a large surface.

In order to facilitate displacement and/or cutting back of the floor covering to be fixed, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the inventive method the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape can be provided, at least on its top surface, with a removable protective film that is removed prior to applying the adhesive mass and/or prior to gluing the floor covering. 

1. A system for laying floor coverings on floors and stairs, the floor coverings having backings, the backings facing the floors or stairs, said system comprising: a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, said tape having a top surface that faces the floor covering and a bottom surface that faces the floor; a top carrier layer and a bottom carrier layer, said top and bottom carrier layers each being respectively coated onto said top and bottom surfaces of said tape, said top and bottom carrier layers each being coated with an adhesive coating; and an adhesive mass, said mass gluing the back of the floor covering to the floor, said adhesive mass being applied to one or more of: said tape top surface; and the backing of the floor covering.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said adhesive mass is one or more of a paste, liquid, or hot-melt form.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said adhesive mass is one or more of an epoxy resin adhesive, a polyurethane adhesive, an acrylate or metacrylic adhesive, an MS or MSP polymer, a hot-melt having a PU or an EVA base; and wherein said adhesive mass is adapted for being thermoset or humidity-set.
 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a glue gun; said adhesive mass being stored in one of a tube, or a bag, and a bar form; and said adhesive mass being adapted for loading into said gun and being applied therefrom.
 7. The system of claim 1, comprising a container in the form of a bottle, a can, or a pressure tank, said container adapted to storing said adhesive mass.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein said carrier layer of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprises one of a fiber fabric, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, or plastic film.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a removable protective film on said top surface.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said removable protective film is located in an anti-slip manner on one or more of said top and bottom surfaces of said adhesive tape; and said film having one or more of nubs, depressions, grooves, and perforation apertures.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a width in a range from 100 mm to 2000 mm.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein said carrier layer of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a thickness in a range from 10 to 200 μm.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has an adhesive coating with lower adhesive strength than the adhesive strength of said adhesive coating on said top surface.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein different adhesive application weights are provided on said top and bottom tape surfaces, whereby said surface with greater adhesive weight having a greater adhesive strength.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein said adhesive application weight is in the range from 5 to 250 g/m².
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein said adhesive coating on said top and bottom surfaces of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprise a softener-resistant adhesive.
 17. The system of claim 1, wherein said adhesive coating of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprises one or more of a hot-melt adhesive and an acrylate adhesive.
 18. The system of claim 1, wherein said adhesive coating of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprises different adhesives on said top and bottom surfaces.
 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive strength of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, on said bottom surface of said tape, has an adhesive force of 1 to 50 N/25 mm.
 20. The system of claim 1, wherein said carrier layer and said adhesive coating of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape are water vapor permeable with a value in a range from 0.2 μm to 30 μm.
 21. The system of claim 20, wherein one or more of said carrier layer and said adhesive coating on said tape comprises perforation apertures, said perforation apertures being distributed across the entire tape surface, said apertures being spaced from one another at a distance of less than 10 cm and said apertures having a cross-sectional surface area of less than 4 mm².
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein said perforation apertures are aligned with one another.
 23. The system of claim 10, wherein said perforation apertures of said removable protective film are arranged in alignment with one or more of: said perforation apertures in said carrier layer; and said adhesive coating.
 24. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape provided as a roll and is adapted to being unrolled.
 25. A method for laying floor coverings on floors and stairs, said floor covering having backings, said method comprising: obtaining an adhesive system according to claim 1; applying said adhesive system to the coverings so that the coverings are adapted to adhere to the floor.
 26. (canceled)
 27. The method of claim 25, wherein said floor has a surface, the floor surface being completely covered with said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.
 28. The method of claim 25, wherein said top surface of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a removable protective film that is adapted to being removed prior to one or more of: applying said adhesive mass; and gluing said flooring.
 29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of completely covering one of said top or bottom surface of said tape with said adhesive mass.
 30. The system of claim 6, wherein said gun is a hot glue gun.
 31. The system of claim 11 wherein pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a width in a range from 140 mm to 1500 mm.
 32. The system of claim 31 wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a width in a range from 170 mm to 300 mm.
 33. The system of claim 11 wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is 230 mm when employed on stairs and 350 mm when employed on floors.
 34. The system of claim 12, wherein said carrier layer of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a thickness in a range from 25 to 150 μm.
 35. The system of claim 34, wherein said carrier layer of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape has a thickness in a range from 50 to 120 μm.
 36. The system of claim 15, wherein said adhesive application weight is in the range from 8 to 200 g/m².
 37. The system of claim 36, wherein said adhesive application weight is in range from 10 to 150 g/m².
 38. The system of claim 19, wherein the adhesive strength of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, on said bottom surface of said tape, has an adhesive force of 5 to 30 N/25 mm.
 39. The system of claim 20, wherein said carrier layer and said adhesive coating of said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape are water vapor permeable with a value in a range from 0.5 μm to 10 μm. 